1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for adjusting temperature variation value correction of an aquarium heating tube and particularly an apparatus for adjusting temperature variation value correction of an aquarium heating tube according to use condition of the aquarium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional aquarium 10 as shown in FIG. 1 usually includes a thermometer 11 to measure and display water temperature and a heating tube 20 which has capability to adjust the setting value of heating temperature and can automatically perform heating when the temperature is below the setting temperature value.
Refer to FIG. 2 for the conventional heating tube 20. It mainly includes a head 21 located on the top end of the heating tube with a turning knob 22 located on the head 21 to directly turn a lifting screw rod 23. The screw rod presses an adjusting strip 24 to change the distance between the adjusting strip 24 and another fixed strip 25. The adjusting strip 24 and the fixed strip 25 bond respectively to a magnet 26 and a metal member 27. One of the strips is connected to a heating coil 28. When heated, the fixed strip 25 deforms because of the heat. Thus the magnet 26 and the metal member 27 bonded to the two strips gradually move towards each other and are attracted to form an electric contact for heating or breaking off to stop heating, therefore control functions are established.
Based on previous discussion, it is clear that by rotating the turning knob 22, the interval between the two strips may be changed. Hence such a phenomenon may be used to indicate the heating temperature. It is not based on the actual water temperature in the aquarium. In designing the general heating tubes, the design of the adjustment of the interval is based on the volume and normal water temperature of the standard aquariums.
However from users"" standpoint, the real problem is that the heating tube does not necessary match the aquarium. For instance, the specification of the heating tube may be for 50 liters, while user""s aquarium may have the capacity of 55 liters. In addition, variation of water temperature often is affected by the ambient temperature, such as snowy winter and sweltering summer have great impact on water temperature in the aquarium. In such a circumstance, it could happen that while the heating temperature is set at 85xc2x0 F. for the heating tube, but the actual temperature being heated in the aquarium 10 may be merely 81xc2x0 F. In other words, though the heating tube 20 is set to stop heating when the temperature reaches 85xc2x0 F., because of the factors such as the volume of the aquarium and ambient temperature, the water temperature in the aquarium never reaches 85xc2x0 F. (with the actual temperature reaches only 81xc2x0 F., there is a variation of 4xc2x0 F. between the setting water temperature to be heated and the actual water temperature). Hence users have to bear in mind this temperature variation of 4xc2x0 F., and to adjust the heating temperature of the heating tube to 89xc2x0 F. so that the actual temperature may reach 85xc2x0 F. in the heating process. However, users do not always remember the temperature variation value like this. In the event that users forget such a variation value and mistakenly adjust the variation setting, fish in the aquarium could perish. Moreover the conventional heating tubes use the turning knob 22 to directly lift or lower the screw rod 23 to push the strip. Adjusting displacement is rough and not accurate. It also could cause troubles. In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, to develop an improved adjusting apparatus to overcome the temperature variation occurred to the heating tube of the aquarium and the actual water temperature is the focus of this invention.
The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for adjusting temperature variation value correction of an aquarium heating tube that is easy to operate and can rapidly correct the temperature variation to enable the heating temperature to coincide with the actual water temperature.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for adjusting temperature variation value correction of an aquarium heating tube that can fine tune the temperature setting to achieve more accurate temperature adjustment.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, the invention mainly includes an adjusting dock which has a lower end connecting to a heating coil and is coupled with a duct set which is extended upwards to house a screw rod. The screw rod has an upper end fastening to a squared turning rod which is extended outside an outer lid for coupling with a round spline opening of a turning knob. Turning the turning knob, the screw rod will be driven to push a movable strip to adjust the distance between the movable strip and the electric contact of an electrode. The movable strip is connected to the heating coil. When heated, the strip deforms due to the heat so that the electric contact of the movable strip may contact with or separate from the electric contact of the electrode thereby to control heating or stop heating. The screw rod has a lower section located in a hollow section of the adjusting dock to engage with a longitudinal screw hole of a transverse sleeve. The transverse sleeve is moved up or down by the screw rod to push a biased member which moves in a diagonal manner along two opposing transverse slots on the side walls to generate a miniature displacement. Therefore the movable strip may be pushed and moved more accurately. The turning knob may be pulled away from the turning rod to turn and correct the temperature variation value in a simple operation thereby to enable the heating temperature to coincide with the actual water temperature.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.